The present invention relates generally to fastener driving tools, and more specifically to such tools configured for driving a variety of fasteners.
Fastener driving tools, also known as nailers, are known in the art, and are powered by various systems, including pneumatic, electric, powder and combustion. Combustion tools typically have a housing substantially enclosing a power source, a trigger mechanism and a magazine storing a supply of fasteners for sequential driving. The power source includes a reciprocating driver blade which separates a forwardmost fastener from the magazine and drives it through a noseplate assembly into the workpiece. The nosepiece assembly is also the conventional attachment point for the magazine and defines the entryway for fasteners from the magazine into a fastener passage where impact with the driver blade occurs as well as subsequent transport into the workpiece. Exemplary tools are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,483,473; 4,522,162; 6,145,724; and 6,679,414, all of which are incorporated by reference. A fastener nailer designed for trim work is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,622, incorporated by reference.
One type of combustion fastener nailer is described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,862 which is incorporated by reference. This patent addresses fastener nailers designed for driving trim-type or finishing fasteners, typically nails with small heads. In one known embodiment, a front plate of the nosepiece assembly is pivotable outward to permit full access to the interior of the nosepiece. The front plate is preferably pivotable to at least 90 degrees relative to the vertical operational axis of the tool for enabling the operator to pull out the jammed fasteners perpendicularly to the action of the piston.
Such fasteners tend to become jammed in the fastener tool nosepiece and must be cleared to resume operation of the tool. To clear the jam, the fasteners must be removed. It is disclosed to provide a front panel with an enlarged transverse pivot point defined by a closed loop to facilitate pivoting movement of the front panel away from a rear nose and the adjacent magazine to provide sufficient access by the user for removing the unwanted fasteners. In practice, there is insufficient clearance provided by this pivoting action to clear all jams.
In some applications, users of such tools employ a variety of fastener gauges. In some cases, it has been found that the use of relatively larger fasteners causes excess friction between the fastener and the front plate, to the extent that continual use with larger fasteners shaves metal from the fastener. This friction increases the tool temperature, reducing overall tool performance and increasing the chances of jamming and misfiring. Ultimately, the tool becomes nonfunctional.